LONDON: Britain is unprepared for the worsening impacts of climate change such as flooding and extreme heat, the country’s independent climate advisers said on Wednesday (Apr 30).
Britain was battered by widespread flooding last year which caused travel disruption and damage to homes, and in recent years it has suffered heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.
“We have seen in the last couple of years that the country is not prepared for the impacts of climate change. We know there is worse to come, and we are not ready – indeed in many areas we are not even planning to be ready,” said Julia King, chair of the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) Adaptation Committee.
In January, scientists said that 2024 was globally the hottest year on record, with climate change pushing the planet’s temperature to levels never previously experienced by modern humans and making extreme weather events more frequent and severe.
In response to the report, the government said it was taking robust action to prepare for climate change impacts.
“We are investing a record 2.65 billion pounds (US$3.54 billion) to repair and build flood defences, protecting tens of thousands of homes and businesses and helping local communities become more resilient,” a government spokesperson said.
